Foot pumps



Feb. 12, 1957 H. FLOOD ETAL FOOT PUMPS Filed July 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In venior l /arzy/ zqadflamd Eda/ .flltomey Feb. 12, 1957 H. FLOOD ETAL 2,731,156

FOOT PUMPS Filed July 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In ventors Harry FZaad aria/aid Y B gmahmw 53mm g aiwfiahnlt Attorney United States Patent FOOT PUMPS Harry Flood, Bury, and David Tatlock, Farnworth, England Application July 15, 1952, Serial No. 298,896

4 Claims. (Cl. 230-175) space and the load which can be carried are relatively limited.

It is an object of the said invention to overcome this disadvantage. 7

According to the invention, a footpump is foldable so as to require when folded less storage space than when unfolded.

The said footpump may have a foldable base and a foldable operating lever which can unfold into operative positions when it is desired to use the pump.

The said foldable base may be in two parts. pivotally connected together and capable of forming the pump support or foot when unfolded. V

The said foldable operating lever may be in two portions pivotally connected together, the one portion being foldable on to the other portion when reduction in the length of the said lever is desired for storage purposes.

One portion of the operating lever may be connected to one moving part of the pumping mechanism of the pump, for example the piston or pistons by a cross-member through which motion is transferred from the operating lever to the said moving part.

The said footpump may have a plurality of cylinders disposed in side-by-side relationship and shorter in length than the single cylinder of a footpump of conventional kind and similar capacity, whereby the amount of air displaced by pistons working in the said cylinders during a working stroke is comparable with that which would be displaced by a piston working in the said single cylinder of the said conventional kind of pump. 7

The said plurality of cylinders is preferably in communication with a single outlet which is adapted to have the usual flexible delivery pipe connected to it.

The said footpump may have a return spring which is carried on a rod accommodated in a housing separate from the cylinders.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a construction in accordance with the said invention.

Figure l is an elevation of a footpump in an operative position,

Figure 2 is an elevation of the said footpump in a folded position,

Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is an end view in section on line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, in the construction of foot- In the drawingsz.

pump shown therein for inflating the pneumatic tires of road vehicles, we provide a cylinder block 1 having two cylinders 2 confined side by side in parallel position by end plates 3 and 4 respectively which are secured to one another by rods 5 and nuts 6. The two cylinders 2 fit into grooves in the inner surfaces of the end plates 3 and 4 and form fluidtight joints with the plate 3 and are fitted with pistons 7 (see Figure 4) having piston rods 8 sliding in guide bosses 9 attached to the outer surface of the end plate 4. The end plate 3 has air passages 10 connecting the ends of the two cylinders 2 with a single air outlet 11 provided with a screwthreaded aperture 12 onto which the screwthreaded metal end of a flexible air delivery pipe (not shown) can be screwed to form a fluidtight joint. The end plates 3, 4 also have extending between them a housing 13 in which a rod 14 and a surrounding helical compression return spring 15 are slidably engagable, the axis of the housing 13 being parallel to the axes of the cylinders 2.

The cylinder block 1 is pivoted to a base framework 16 consisting of a pair of bars having two parts 17 and 18 respectively, connected together by transverse cylindrical rods 19, 20 respectively at their ends, the transverse rod 19 being pivotally mounted in a pair-of lugs 21 attached to the end plate 3 of the cylinder block 1. The base framework 16 rests on the ground when the pump is in position for normal operation. The two parts 17 and 18 of each bar are pivotally connected to one another by rivets 21' at or about midway along its length, there being on the part 17 a projecting lug 22 for preventing pivotal movement of the part 18 about it in one direction beyond a predetermined amount. The part 17, to which the cylinder block 1 is pivoted, is somewhat longer than the cylinder block 1. The base framework 16 has an operating lever 23 pivotally connected to the rod 2t)v thereof at that end thereof remote from the end to which the cylinder block 1 is pivotally connected. The operating lever 23 is in two portions 24 and 25, the portion 24 having two metal bars two ends of which serve to pivot'the operating lever 23 to the base framework 16 and which are pivotally connected to the portion 25 by rivets 26 at the other two ends. A transverse cylindrical rod 27 at the ends of the portion 25 of the operating lever 23 serves to pivotally connect the operating lever 23 to the piston rods 8 and return spring rod 14, the cylindrical rod 27 also serving to prevent the portion 25 from being turned in one direction about the pivot beyond a predetermined extent by impingement of the portion 24 against the rod 27. The cylindrical rod 27 has pivotally mounted on it a block 28 mounted on the end of each piston rod 8 and a block 29 mounted on the end of the return spring rod 14.

Theportion 25 of the operating lever has two bars which are connected together at that end of the portion 25 which is remote from the rod 27 by a foot plate 30 which is pivotally connected thereto. On pushing down the plate 30 of the operating lever 23 with the foot the piston rods 8 and pistons 7 are driven into the cylinders 2 and the return spring rod 14 and spring 15 are driven into their housing 13 by the operating. lever 23. The movement of the pistons 7 causes displacement of the air in both cylinders 2, the air being driven out of the cylinders and through the air passages 10 and. the outlet 11. Releasing the pressure of the foot on the plate 30 0f the; operating lever 23 allows the return spring 15 to urge the stops 31 projecting from the end plate '4, pushing the.

return spring 15. Each of the two'bars of the part 18 of the'base framework 16 has a lug 32'whi'ch engages the ad'acent bar ofthe ortio'n' 24 of the operating lever 23.

when the pump is in its folded position andserves to I. prevent movement of theipar'tsbeyond the desired'folded position by the return spring 15.

. theioperating lever 233is foldedfiatly againstlthe bars ofthe operatingilever andba'sefr'amework, as shown in Figures 2, 3"and 4, and forms a fiat end of the folded structure which is helpful when stowing and handling. The footpurnp now occupies between about one half and two thirds of the length which it occupied in its un- Thei fo otplate 30 of- V cylinder, piston" rods'provided on said pistons, a cross piece fixed to said piston rods, a rod also fixed to said cross piece, a casing fixed to said cylinders parallel and adjacent thereto and engageable with clearance by said rod, a return compression spring on said rod and acconi modatable in said casing two: parts pivotally connected together forming the said base framework and swingable downwards only on each other into a folded state, and two portions ,pivotally. connected together for forming the saidop'era'ting'lever and being foldable on each other, 7

one part of the base framework having a pivotal connectionto' said cylinders, the other part having a'pivotal connection to one portion of said operating lever, the other of said portions of the operating lever having a pivotal connection to said cross piece as well as to said first-named portion, said rod with spring and said casing V serving for urging said cross piece and therefore said folded condition, and is in a flat and, compact form for easy stowage in a confined space.

The'piston rodsS and return spring 15 and rod 14' are totally enclosed when the pump is foldedand'thereby dirt and'grit' are excluded from these parts. The use of two short'cylinders instead of one long one makes it possible to use smaller'gauge bars forthe base fra'me work and operating lever and thereby makes the foot-,

pumpilighter than a similar'one of conventional kind.

We claim:

- a comm'onoutle't, said cylinders being less in length than half that of said base framework, pistons workingirisaid" l. Afootpumphavingabaseiframework; an operating lever, a plurality of cylinders, pistonsworkinginlthe'saidi cylinders, piston'rods provided on said pistons, a cross piece, two parts pivotally connected together for-forming the said base framework andswingable downwards;

only on each other; into a'folded state, and twoportions pivotally connected together for forming the saidop'erat-f ing lever and beingfol'dable on each other, onefpart of the base framework" having a pivotal connection"to 'said cylinders, the other part having a' pivotal connection 1 to one portion of saidoperating lever, said cross piece;

being 'fixable to said piston rods, and the other of said portions of the operating lever having apivotal con nection torsaid cross piece as well as tosaid firstnamed' portion. j

2. A footpump having a base framework, an'operat-I piston-rods outwardly from said'cylinders and also for.

returning" said operating lever after operation-of the same in a pumping ,direction, stop, means for preventing saidbase framework being swingable in a direction other than'downwardsandfurther stop' means for preventing.

said' bajsej framework from being, swingable beyond a positionin which". said parts of said' base frameworkiare in 'saidfoldedstate, said cross piece further serving for preventing-saidportions of said operating iever'from Hfoldingo'n' 'each' other when foot pr'essureis applied to the non connected. end i of V the second-named 1 portion of sa d 'op'erating lever.

4f Afo'otpumphaving a base, framework, an'op'eratin'g lever, a pair of cylinders disposed side-by-side and having cylihders; one ay' valve means incorporated with said pistons, said cylindersbeing connected for independent operation for pumping through said common outletlair 1 7 fed directly andseparately to each cylinder, piston rods;

provided on" said pistons, a' cross piece, fixed to' said,

piston rods a rod'lalso fixed to' saidcrosspiecaa casing fixed to saidcylindersparalleland adjacent' thereto and V engageablewith clearance by said rod, a return compres sion spring on said rod and accommodatable insaid casing,

two' p'arts pivotally connected together for forming the saidibase' framework and swingable' downwards only on eachother into aj folded state, and-two portions pivotally connected togetherfor forming the said operating lever and bein'g foldable on each other, one part ofthe'base 1 framework having a pivotal connection to said cylinders,

ing lever, a pair of cylinders, pistons working inthe said cylinders, piston rodsprovided: on said pistons, a'cross1 piece fixed to said piston rods, a rod"a1s'o fixed tolsaid cross piece, a casing fixed to said'cylinders parallel 'and' adjacentthereto and engageable with clearance by said rod, a'return compression spring on said rod'andacconlmodatable in said casing; two parts pivotallyconne'cted togetherfor forming the said base framework and swing able downwardsonly on each other into a folded state, and twoportions pivotally 'c'onnected'together for form ing-the' saidoperating lever andbeing fold-able on each other, one part of the base framework having a pivotal connection-to said cylinders, the'other part havinga piv-' i' otal connection lto one portion of said operating lever, the other of said portions of; the; operating lever having a pivotalfconnection to said cross'piece as well asto said first-named portion, said rod. with spring and said casing serving for urgingflsaid' cross piece and thereforejsaid' piston rods-outwardly from said cylinders and also for returning-said operating lever; after operation'of the same in a'pumpingdirection. a 3. A'footpump having a base framework, an operating the'otherpart having a pivotal connection to'one'portion of said operating lever; theoth'er of said'portions ofthe operating lever having a pivotal conn'ection'to said cross piecefas well as to 'saidfirst-narnedportion, said rod with springia'nd said casing serving for urgingfsaid cross piece andfth'ere fore'said piston rods outwardly'from said cylinders a'ndj also. for returning said operating lever after operationofthe same in a'pumping' direction, stop means for preventing said b'ase' framework frorfnlbein'g swing able'in'a direction'other than downwards, and further stop means for preventing said'baseframework' from being swingable beyond a position. inwhich saidlparts ofsaidbasefl framework are insaid folded. state, said cross piece further serving for preventing said portions off sai'd'operating leverifromgfolding on each other when leverya pair of cylinders having a common outlet, pistons 1 working 'in said cylinders, one-way valve rne ans 'incor- 'porated with said pistons, said cylinders being connected for" independent operation for pumping throughisaid .common-outlet -air fed directl-yand separately to each foot pressure'is applied to th'e non-connected end of'the;

second-named portion of said operatingtlever,"said foot: pumpibeing foldable and thereby reducible tosubsta'ntially halfjits lengtl'1"compared with that when unfolded for 'oper'ation, onfoldi'n'g" the parts of the base framework downwardly,pushing the piston rods into said cylinders against said spring, and folding said second-named portion of the operating. lever about its pivotal connection to said first-named portion until, 'both portions ofthe operating'lever lie'adjacent said parts of said base framework,,the relative positions of the components of the footpu'mp beingsuch that'a toggle action is exerted which References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 21, 1912 6 Great Britain May 11, 1922 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1923 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1923 Great Britain Mar. 19, 1925 Switzerland June 30, 1948 Great Britain Sept. 3, 1946 

